Sunday, December 13, 2015

Words from Sister Abbie Waite in Texas

Dear all! :)

This week has been yet another wonderful one! My vision of practically EVERYTHING has risen and expanded. It has been quite the memorable journey and I am excited to see it continue.

There's so much to talk about, but I'll start with Sister Moorman! (Yes... it's pronounced like Mormon. It's too perfect! Haha!) She's incredible! She tells us every time she sees us that she can feel the truth in her heart. I love her so much! When we invited her to be baptized, she didn't even let us get the words out of our mouths before she shouted "YES!" Amazing!

We also had another lesson with the man from last week's letter. It was an incredible experience. I knew it was coming, so all week I prayed and studied and hoped and it paid off! I was prepared to receive every single one of his questions and there was more than one pause while he tried to figure out how to prove us wrong. He just couldn't do it! I could feel the Spirit leading me to what scriptures to use and what to do. Just amazing. Funny thing was, though, that he told us that love is the greatest motive of all. Go figure! Haha! I may or may not have had to fake a coughing episode to hide the giggles that him telling us that brought on. I guess he just needed a week to let it sink in. :)

I had the opportunity to attend MLC (Mission Leadership Council) and it was a life-changing experience. I don't know that I have room or time to really explain all the revelation I received, but it was incredible. The fire and Spirit in that room was almost tangible. I felt like I could reach out and literally touch it. I left that room wanting to share that vision with EVERYONE that I met: investigators, contacts, members, and other missionaries. How great is my opportunity as a historian to catch that vision and record it so that anyone can feel it? It's incredible.

I've been thinking a lot about what helped me catch the vision of the mission when I was a "younger" missionary. (I still have a whole month before anyone can call me old!) I can still remember the day when Sister Montclair showed me the "Qualities of a TSAMer" list and we talked about each one. I took that list and every day following I would pick a quality and find scriptures to support it. That was when I first saw the higher vision for missionaries and when I first began to realize that this is much bigger than 18 months. I still continually ask "What lack I yet?", especially relating to the Qualities of a TSAMer. It is always a humbling experience, but I'm excited to continue working on those things and become better and more of who my Father sees me becoming.

I am excited to be trained by Elder Rafael E. Pino of the Seventy this week. It's going to be an amazing experience. We have been praying and preparing as a mission and it's sure to be incredible.

Isn't everything about the gospel incredible, though?

Love,

Sister Waite

P.S. If you would like a copy of that list, I'd be happy to send you one! Have a wonderful Christmas season! IT'S HERE! :D